The Zoo Story Questions and Answers

The Zoo Story Study Tools

Ask a question Start an essay

The Zoo Story

In The Zoo Story, Jerry's interaction with the dog symbolizes the futility of human actions and the indifference of the world. Despite his efforts to befriend or harm the dog, it remains indifferent,...

2 educator answers

The Zoo Story

In Edward Albee's The Zoo Story, Jerry's purpose is to communicate his profound sense of isolation and disconnection from society. His motive is to provoke Peter into an authentic human interaction,...

4 educator answers

The Zoo Story

Peter remains in the park with Jerry throughout the entirety of "The Zoo Story" initially to be polite and later due to the fact that he gets into a fight with Jerry.

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

At the end of "The Zoo Story," Jerry achieves his goal of making a significant impact on another person by manipulating Peter into holding a knife defensively. Jerry then charges at Peter, impaling...

2 educator answers

The Zoo Story

The theme of Edward Albee's The Zoo Story is the isolation and alienation of modern man, exacerbated by capitalism. The play contrasts Peter, a middle-class man unaware of his isolation, with Jerry,...

2 educator answers

The Zoo Story

The play is titled The Zoo Story because Jerry announces he has been to the zoo, which initiates the play's events. Additionally, the title symbolizes the confusion, chaos, and unrestrained behavior...

2 educator answers

The Zoo Story

In The Zoo Story, the landlady acts very badly towards Jerry. She's forever leaning around the entrance hall, spying on him to make sure he doesn't bring in any things or people. She also corners...

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

Jerry's knife symbolizes a desire for personal connection, as stabbing requires proximity and intimacy, reflecting Jerry's yearning for closeness. In contrast, Peter's book represents his detachment...

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

In "The Zoo Story," Jerry's strange end reflects the play's blend of realism and absurdity. Albee highlights the absurdity of human existence, suggesting that rational explanations for Jerry's...

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

One could argue that The Zoo Story becomes a criticism of modern capitalist society by showing how it marginalizes true individuals like Jerry.

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

In "The Zoo Story," the characters' existence parallels animals in captivity. Peter's structured life contrasts with Jerry's unconventional behavior, much like animals in artificial settings. Jerry's...

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

In "The Zoo Story," Jerry hopes that Peter will live life as an animal rather than a vegetable, meaning he should actively choose his life and fight for what he has, rather than living passively and...

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

In "The Zoo Story," Jerry suggests Peter will get mouth cancer from smoking his pipe, highlighting Jerry's blunt and presumptuous nature. This interaction immediately reveals Jerry as an unusual...

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

Jerry attempts to love the dog belonging to his landlady as a way to stop its aggressive behavior towards him. He perceives the dog as hostile, unlike most animals that are indifferent to him. Jerry...

1 educator answer

The Zoo Story

Jerry shares his life story with Peter to manipulate him into committing murder, as Jerry seeks death but views suicide as an admission of failure. Jerry's aggressive approach signifies his struggle...

1 educator answer